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Aeronautical Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.0201.

Types of Degrees Aeronautical Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Aeronautical Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	48
Bachelor’s Degree	6,433
Master’s Degree	2,658
Doctor’s Degree	457

What Aeronautical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Studies in Aeronautical Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Aeronautical Engineering graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Aeronautical Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Aeronautical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Aeronautical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Aeronautical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Aeronautical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Aeronautical Engineering graduates include:

• Marine Engineering Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Engineering Teacher
• Electronic Science Teacher
• Engineering Faculty Member
• Automotive Engineering Teacher
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Lecturer
• Mechanical Engineering Lecturer
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Research Professor
• Radar Engineering Teacher
• Electronics Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Lecturer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Aeronautical Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	34.5%
Bachelor’s degree	18.1%
Master’s degree	12.3%
Post-master’s certificate	11.1%
Post-doctoral training	10.4%
Postsecondary certificate	5.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.0%
First professional degree	1.0%
Some college courses	0.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Aeronautical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 81.3% of Aeronautical Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,793	18.7%
Men	7,803	81.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Aeronautical Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	5,454	56.8%
Asian	1,193	12.4%
Hispanic or Latino	1,148	12.0%
Black or African American	232	2.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	17	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	5	0.1%
Two or More Races	413	4.3%
Race Unknown	204	2.1%
International Students	930	9.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Aeronautical Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Aeronautical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$77,688
4 years	$89,440
5 years	$101,440

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $101,440 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Aeronautical Engineering Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Aeronautical Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	0
Bachelor’s	2	3
Master’s	15	11
Doctoral (Research)	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Aeronautical Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Aeronautical Engineering graduates earn a median of $89,440 four years after completion — roughly 135% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering	26,760
Civil Engineering	20,005
Computer Engineering	19,986
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	13,914
Engineering, General	13,411
Chemical Engineering	10,939
Industrial Engineering	8,533
Systems Engineering	3,956
Engineering, Other	3,529
Materials Engineering	3,129

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.